Therapist Harnessing the Power of the Great Outdoors for Local "Ecotherapy" Startup

Boston, MA, July 16, 2015 --(PR.com)-- The therapy process is often imagined as subdued conversations in a dark room, a large couch on one end with a counselor in a wingback chair on the other. But High Peaks, a new therapeutic mentoring company based out of Dedham, is bringing therapy to the great outdoors.

Abbie Hausermann, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, is the founder of High Peaks, which offers “ecotherapy sessions,” a new and innovative style of therapy. Hausermann takes individuals and groups outside into the fresh air for walk-and-talk sessions and weekend wilderness quests. Her goal is to utilize the therapeutic nature of the outdoors while counseling individuals.

“I was inspired by a quote I found a few years ago—‘When you are out walking, you are working from a position of health. Lying on a couch is what we do when we are sick,’” Hausermann recently said. “Ever since then, I’ve been researching the field of ecotherapy and working towards the launch of this company.”

Ecotherapy is commonly referred to as healing and growth nurtured by healthy interaction with the earth. While ecotherapy companies have begun to spring up in other areas around the country, Hausermann is a pioneer in introducing this therapeutic idea to Massachusetts.

Hausermann’s experience working in a clinical setting at Boston Medical Center has helped her recognize that traditional therapy isn’t effective for certain people. She works with clients who face anxiety, depression, extreme stress, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and grief, and knows there need to be more options available for individuals who seek improved mental health.

With that in mind, her walk-and-talk therapy sessions are tailored to each specific client and the focus is on active, experiential learning and self-discovery in an outdoor setting. She offers her services to people of all ages, and currently, she utilizes local parks like Elm Bank Reservation in Wellesley, Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, and Francis William Bird Park in Walpole to meet clients for their outdoor therapy sessions.

Hausermann has also been working with local school districts to connect with students who are particularly susceptible to the screen time saga. According to a national survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2010, “The average 8- to 10-year-old spends nearly eight hours a day with a variety of different media, and older children and teenagers spend more than 11 hours per day.” High Peaks was created to break the dependence between screens and children and to diversify the interests of the younger generation.

“Studies have shown that our society is becoming so dependent on technology that we are neglecting nature and the great outdoors,” Hausermann said. “I want to change that and have people put down their phones during therapy sessions so we can remember the importance of the outdoors, staying fit and being active in our well-being.”

Hausermann’s wilderness quests are scheduled to begin this summer, where she will meet with a group of students on a three-day therapeutic camping excursion around New England.

Hausermann is currently seeking interested clients and is available to meet Monday-Thursday from 5-9 p.m. and Friday-Sunday from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. More information can be found on the website HighPeaks-MA.com or on the High Peaks Therapeutic Mentoring Facebook page.